LOS ANGELES — A California Highway Patrol officer fatally shot a man during a scuffle on a closed interstate Sunday, officials said, in a disturbing confrontation that appeared to be recorded by a bystander.
The shooting happened about on a section of Interstate 105 in the Southern California community of Lynwood, according to a statement from California Attorney General Rob Bonta, whose office is investigating the confrontation.
About two dozen motorists called 911 around 3:15 p.m. Sunday to report a man walking on I-105, a main thoroughfare that goes through South Los Angeles communities and ends at Los Angeles International Airport, law enforcement sources said.
The officer, who arrived at the scene around 3:27 p.m., initially tried to talk the man off the freeway to no avail, the highway patrol said in a news release Monday night. After the highway patrol stopped traffic, the officer approached the man, leading to a scuffle in which the man used a stun gun on the officer, according to the highway patrol.
Video circulating on social media appeared to show the highway patrol officer tangling with the man on the pavement before shots rang out. In the video, the man is on his back, seemingly trying to grab at the officer, as the officer apparently tries to restrain him.
At one point, the officer seems to punch the man with one hand and then reach for his service weapon with the other. As the officer is getting up, he begins shooting at the man at close range, firing multiple rounds while stepping back. The CHP said the man had used the stun gun on the officer and that the officer in turn opened fire in fear for his safety.
In the video, the man remained motionless on the ground following the shooting, with the officer pointing the gun at him for at least a minute before the video cut out.
The Los Angeles County coroner’s office did not immediately release the man’s identity pending notification of next of kin.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell said in a statement that she welcomed an investigation.
“The video shared of the fatal shooting incident by a California Highway Patrol officer is saddening and deeply troubling. I look forward to a full investigation by the California Department of Justice and offer my deepest condolences to the loved ones who mourn this tragic loss,” she said.
Andrew Blankstein reported from Los Angeles and David K. Li from New York City.
